0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 vol.3

Legal Technical Assistance to Asia
Providing Intellectual Assistance as a Peaceful Nation
Rather than Compelling Japanese Law onto Others

The Four Classifications of Legal Technical Assistance Activities

One of Ministry of Justice's accomplishments in legal technical assistance, has been its active participation in the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Testament of Offenders (UNAFEI) in terms of the criminal justice system. The Institute was established in 1961 under a cooperative agreement between Japan and the UN.
It sponsors international training courses and seminars, conducts research and participates in international conferences. Additionally, in recent years, the Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JICA, has provided legal technical assistance for countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos that are in the process of moving from a government-controlled central economy into a market-oriented economy The activities of the Ministry of Justice in terms of legal technical assistance can be divided into the following four categories (About Legal Technical Assistance, from the Ministry of Justice Research and Training Institute) as outlined below.

1. Training courses held in Japan provided in various categories for professionals in the legal field and for bureaucrats who are involved in the legislative process in Asian nations.
There are two major training courses conducted in Japan. One targets only trainees from a specific country,
"country-focused group courses." A second consists of training involving
people from various countries, "multiple country training courses."

2. Conducting seminars in recipient countries consists of both convening
seminars and conducting basic research according to subject. In the past, the Ministry of Justice has dispatched public prosecutors and Ministry of Justice officials as lecturers to conduct seminars in Vietnam and Laos. In other instances, according to the subject matter, it has dispatched academics and attorneys.

3. Convening international symposiums and conducting research activities including inviting professionals from the Asian-Pacific region to convene a symposium on bankruptcy law.
Additionally, according to the subject matter, panel discussions are conducted.

4. Other assistance, including providing assistance in drafting laws.
As mentioned previously, in 1999 at the request of the Cambodian government, we provided assistance in drafting the Code of Civil Procedure, with which the Ministry of Justice was also involved. To enact a Civil Code and Code of Civil Procedure suited for current conditions in Cambodia, Japan's Drafting Committee included academics, Ministry of Justice officials and recipient country's officials who were in charge of legislation. They met periodically to discuss a wide variety of issues.

What's New

Index

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 vol.3